Updated at 1:11 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 57-year-old man is dead after a canoe capsized in a creek near Vader last night.
Rescuers were called around 8:30 p.m. by the man’s wife who said they had been canoeing in Stillwater Creek when the two-person craft tipped over near the 1400 block of state Route 506, west of town, according to authorities.
“She was able to get to shore and he was missing,” Vader area Fire Chief Richard Underdahl said.
Underdahl described the creek as very full, very swift, about 25 feet across in places with steep brush-covered banks.
The 38-year-old woman said she last saw her husband hanging onto the canoe near the bank and then he disappeared, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
Vader area volunteer firefighters – Cowlitz-Lewis Fire District 20, formerly known as Lewis County Fire District 7 – were assisted by responders, including swift water rescue technicians, from Lewis County Fire Districts 2 and 15, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and Cowlitz County Fire District 6 out of Castle Rock.
They found the partially submerged canoe and then about 10 minutes later, discovered the victim submerged, face down against a log about 100 yards upstream, according to the sheriff’s office.
The water temperature was measured at 43 degrees.
The victim is identified as John Handel. An autopsy is scheduled for this afternoon.
The wife was taken care of by homeowners near the creek and checked by paramedics, according to Underdahl.
Chief Brown said the couple started out near their home on the 100 block of Brim Road and planned to travel to the Brim Creek Bridge.
Neither Brown nor Underdahl had an answer as to why the couple was in the water so late in the evening. Neither were wearing life jackets.
“We’re just sorry the outcome was what it was,” Underdahl said. “We volunteer to help our neighbors, it’s tough to deal with things like this.”
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
my belief is there is something strange about the whole thing and i dont think everyone is being totaly up front and honest come on he was a good man and left behind 3 daughters that have to deal with the loss of a father
Until you get pinned by that cold water, you’ll never appreciate just how powerful a force that is. Very sad a day on the water turned deadly. Wear you life vests all the time!
At least he died doing what he loved.
Sad ending
Everything is a conspiracy in this county. Sheesh!
Something is fishy.